The year 2020 will be remembered for the turbulence caused when a pandemic swept through the world, fundamentally changing people’s way of life, presenting unprecedented challenges to governments worldwide, and forcing businesses to reflect and adapt in order to survive. With this in mind, the Asia Business Council and the Tanoto Center for Asian Family …
Ashley Faith Santoso, from the Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia, proposes a technological solution to improve walkability in Jakarta by decreasing gender-based violence. Only 8% of Jakarta is walkable, a situation that the Jakarta Walkable 2022 vision aims to remedy. But in a country where three out of five women have experienced sexual harassment …
Chloris Jiaqi Kang, from the National University of Singapore, writes that addressing key challenges facing sustainable financing in private equity can help channel more private money for the public good in Asia. Given their unique combination of risk capital and operational expertise, private equity funds are well positioned to use equity to create the best …
Hanun Thalia, a student at Universitas Indonesia, writes about a novel technology-based approach for improving communication among family members, an approach that she argues can contribute to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. KomU, an app, helps families learn to use the “I statement” and “sandwich feedback” methods of communication, two psychology-based approaches …
Henry Michael Mayhew, of University College London, argues that Asian central banks should incorporate equality considerations into their mandates. The rise of unconventional monetary policy has had outsized distributive effects, and with a growing body of research showing that inequality impacts economic stability, targeting a more balanced distribution of wealth can be seen as a …
Krati Gupta, from the Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law in India, makes the case for a greater role for Asia in global initiatives aimed at addressing responsible finance. The pandemic has brought the importance of environment, social, and governance (ESG) considerations to the fore, yet ESG investing in Asia trails behind other regions. The …
Matthew Flores, from the Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippines, makes the case for greater indigenous representation in urban design. The essay critiques the homogeneity of urban settings in the Philippines and around the world, the result of ideas of modernity and development that are rooted in colonial norms. If indigenous people are given …
Ranita Ma Tsz Yu, of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, uses shopping malls as a study to assess the aesthetic similarity of urban design across Asia. The essays details the remarkable progress that has been made in development thanks to exports and industrialization but cautions against adopting a one-size-fits-all model of urban development. Instead, …
Rya Jetha, a student at Pomona College in the U.S., describes the importance of “sponge cities” as a climate resilience solution for Asia’s megacities. Asia is home to a disproportionate number of megacities, which are uniquely exposed to the effects of climate change. Sponge cities, which incorporate “blue” or “green” infrastructure like vegetative parks, permeable …
Suzu Yokoyama, of Tsuda University in Japan, identifies unrealistic beauty and weight standards as a major public health problem facing young people, and particularly young women, in Japan and Korea today, leading to health problems such as anorexia and malnutrition. The essay analyzes the factors contributing to the excessive focus on weight, including the media …
